Forget Geek Protection Factor, slather on zinc

T.J. Jenkins, 12, of Newport Beach models a super thick coating of sunscreen donated from the John Wayne Cancer Foundation to the Endless Sun Saturday Surf Sessions held at the Newport Beach Pier.MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER

•Apply sunscreen 15-20 minutes before going into the sun, if you're using a chemical-based screen. Zinc oxide- and titanium dioxide-based screens go to work right away.

• Slather on enough to achieve the SPF stated on the label: a shot glass (2 tablespoons) over the body and face.

•Reapply every 2 hours, even if it's a super-high SPF.

•Remember that sunlight is at its most intense between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

•Get some shade time– from umbrellas, tents, trees, spouses.

•Wear extra clothing, including hats, hoods and long sleeves (sunbeams come through your car windows) made from tightly woven fabric.

When shopping for a good sunscreen, consumers want one that's safe, prevents sunburns and stays on for a while in the water. Bonus points if it smells nice and beachy, and won't stain clothes.

Others seek out another attribute, something not found on the label. Let's call it GPF, or Geek Protection Factor. We don't like it if the sunscreen goes on too thick and turns our faces a Voldemort shade of white.

Vanity runs headlong into reality, because the sunscreens that provide the most protection tend to be ones that are "mineral-based," in which the main active ingredient is zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.

The Environmental Working Group released its seventh annual Guide to Sunscreens on Monday (ewg.org/2013sunscreen). The D.C.-based nonprofit organization analyzed 750 beach and sport sunscreens, and 184 met its strict criteria; 180 are mineral-based.

"The thing that really stood out to us this year is the fact that we can still recommend only 1 out of every 4 products, which means there are a vast number of inferior products on the market," said Nneka Leiba, one of the group's top researchers on the guide.

"Our main recommendations will always be the minerals," she added.

So after decades of research, development and marketing of sunscreens, it turns out that the most effective product is the same thick paste surfers and lifeguards have worn proudly all this time. And they, after all, are not geeks.

"Surfers don't really care how they look," said Dr. Eric Wechsler, a kidney doctor who has a solo practice in Newport Beach near the 56th Street jetty, a prime O.C. surfing spot.

"I see surfers all the time, myself included, who just literally fill their whole face up with zinc," said Wechsler, 37, who has been surfing since he was 13. "We know how dangerous the sun is. You'll see guys out there who look like ghosts. It's kind of like battle paint."

What are the benefits of mineral-based sunscreens? Since they go on the surface of the skin, they physically block and reflect the sun's ultraviolet rays. Chemical-based sunscreens get absorbed into the skin, diluting the sunlight's harmful effects. Mineral-based products are "photo-stable," meaning they don't break down as much in sunlight. Although users should reapply all kinds of sunscreens every two hours or so, there's no need to wait 20 minutes for mineral-based products to take effect, as with chemical-based sunscreens. Slap it on and you're good to go.

Generally, the higher the concentration of mineral, the higher the SPF, or Sun Protection Factor. SPF measures how well the product shields against ultraviolet-B rays, the short-wavelength radiation that causes sunburns. But mineral-based screens are "broad spectrum," meaning they also protect against ultraviolet-A rays, the longer-wavelength rays that penetrate deeper into the skin and which cause long-term skin damage. Both UVB and UVA rays can cause skin cancer with prolonged exposure.

It came from the '80s

Zinc oxide became a must-have accessory in the 1980s, and the neon splashes and stripes became synonymous with extreme sports, even before they were called that. In the "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" dream sequence, white-nosed stoner-surfer Jeff Spicoli, standing between two young ladies on the beach, uttered what could have been the surfer credo: "Surfing's not a sport, it's a way of life. It's no hobby, it's a way of looking at that wave and saying, 'Hey, bud, let's party!'"

According to the website for Zinka, a Rancho Dominguez-based maker of zinc sunscreens since 1986: "As we know, the '90s came along and the official Grunge era had arrived. Seattle rock and style dominated the scene and color was definitely out."

Zinka still sells its "nosecoat" in 11 colors, including white (25 percent zinc oxide). It also makes clear sunscreens that have less zinc, and protective flavored lip balms. HeadHunter, based in San Diego, is another popular line sold in surf shops. It bills itself as the only "waveproof" sunscreen, and its "warpaints" are available in low-key earth tones. They're made with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (10 percent each), which "sticks to your skin better" than zinc, according to the website.

T.J. Jenkins, 12, of Newport Beach models a super thick coating of sunscreen donated from the John Wayne Cancer Foundation to the Endless Sun Saturday Surf Sessions held at the Newport Beach Pier. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER
Catalina Rettig, 7, of Newport Beach stands up on her board during the Endless Sun Saturday Surf Sessions at Newport Beach on Saturday. Scott Morlan, owner of the Endless Sun Surf School in Newport Beach, says he once tried having his pupils wear the bright-colored zinc Ð a different hue for each class Ð but it got to be a mess. "Some kids are saying, 'I've got to put this blue all over my face,'" Morlan said. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER
The Endless Sun Saturday Surf Sessions class stretches before heading out to the surf on Saturday at the Newport Beach Pier. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER
James Montano, 9, of San Juan Capistrano has sunscreen applied to his face before his surfing class in Newport Beach. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER
Grace Shackelford applies sunscreen to her arms before surfing class. The John Wayne Cancer Foundation donated sunscreen to the surfing class that meets at Newport Beach Pier on Saturdays. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER
For the past few years, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in Newport Beach has supplied the Endless Sun Surf School in Newport Beach with the foundation's own zinc-based natural sunscreen, which is lighter but still thick enough to protect young faces. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER
Additional Information: health.sunscreens.0524 Photo by Nick Koon / Orange County Register. 5/20/13 Studio shots of various new sunscreens NICK KOON, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Grace Shackelford, 11, of Costa Mesa carries her surfboard to her Endless Sun Surf School class at the Newport Beach Pier on Saturday. For the past few years, the John Wayne Cancer Foundation in Newport Beach has supplied the school with the foundation's own zinc-based natural sunscreen, which is lighter but still thick enough to protect young faces. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER
Emily Anastos, 13, of Newport Beach applies sunscreen to her face before her surfing class at Newport Beach on Saturday. MICHAEL KITADA, FOR THE REGISTER

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